The challenges of parenting transition aged youth

Anyone who has parented a child from ages 15-18 knows what a joy and challenge these years can be. Joyful in that our children are asserting their independence and freedom more, which requires less adult supervision, and challenging in that we hope and pray we have provided them with the nurturance and support they need to make choices we would make for them if we could.

Also challenging is the balance of...he/she is still a child, vs. I've got to give him/her the room to grow into an adult by making mistakes and learning from them. This is incredibly hard, especially when the budding adult has mental health issues. Still, it is every bit as important for an adolescent with mood or behavioral issues to be able to step outside of the parent's protective shield and to make some of those choices for themselves that will shape their independent future.

We cannot expect our adolescent children to all of a sudden be adults when they turn 18. Just because they are defined by their age as an adult, does not mean they have the maturity to make sound adult decisions. What we can do to assist this transition to adulthood is to provide them with the loving support and encouragement to take independent steps along the way, knowing that if they stumble, we will provide them with our support and wisdom, though we will not "fix it" for them. Adolescence is tough!

If you are concerned about the challenges you are facing with your transition-aged child, call Family Support Services at 769-4222. We can help.